How Can I Help My Child Prepare for Their Year 6 National Tests (SATs)?

Preparing your child for their Year 6 SATs is about creating a calm, supportive environment that builds confidence as well as knowledge. By establishing steady routines, encouraging regular reading and fun practice activities, and maintaining a positive attitude, you can help your child feel ready and reassured for test week.

Reading Preparation

• Read daily: Encourage your child to read every day, whether it's on their own or with you, and discuss the books together, asking about characters, storylines, and their opinions.

• Discuss books: Talk about the story, characters, and vocabulary. Ask open-ended questions and encourage them to provide specific answers in complete sentences.

• Read widely: Expose them to different styles of books to build their familiarity with various texts.

• Consider reading aloud: If your child doesn't enjoy reading independently, read to them to help build grammar and vocabulary skills.

• Practice papers: Work through past papers to become familiar with the question style and use revision guides to focus on specific areas.

Maths Preparation

• Incorporate mental maths routines into daily life:Play mental maths games, like card or board games, to make practice fun. Ask them to check shopping receipts or calculate change.

• Focus on weak areas:Use revision guides to identify and work on areas where your child struggles.

• Practice with papers:Use past SATs papers to help them get comfortable with exam-style questions. Only do this if your child finds it helpful, as forcing it can be counterproductive. Focus on understanding the process behind mistakes, not just finding the right answer.

• Show your work:Teach your child to show their working out, even for mental calculations, as this can help them gain marks and identify errors.

• Consolidate knowledge:Make sure to review content from Years 3, 4, and 5, not just Year 6, as questions from all years can appear on the test.

General Tips

• Write regularly:Encourage daily writing, even if it's just for a few minutes. This could be a to-do list, a diary entry, or a shopping list.

• Active revision:Instead of just rereading notes, have your child write things down, answer questions, or explain concepts to someone else.

• Targeted practice:Focus on areas where they are struggling and use online resources or apps to make revision interactive.

General Well-Being

• Keep it balanced:Keep revision sessions short and mix them with fun activities or games to prevent burnout.

• Stay positive:Talk about the tests and reassure your child not to worry too much. Maintain a positive and supportive atmosphere.

• Prioritise sleep:Ensure your child goes to bed early and gets a good night's sleep, especially on test days.

• Eat well:Make sure they eat a hearty breakfast with some fruit and protein on test days to provide sustained energy.

• Stay active:Encourage fresh air and regular breaks to help them stay refreshed.